If Talia Syrie had her way, North Main would be a must-see on any visitor’s itinerary.

"It's an incredibly colourful and interesting neighbourhood," she says. "If you want to understand the history of Winnipeg you have to come to North Main.

As chef and owner of The Tallest Poppy located on Winnipeg's Main Street at Logan Avenue, she has a vested interest in drawing crowds to the 'hood.

Located only minutes from the hip Exchange District, the eatery is popular with artists and creative types.

But she sincerely wishes locals and visitors alike would give the neighbourhood a chance.

"People shouldn't be afraid. I've never had a bad thing happen and it's been four and half years," she says.

The Sunday morning I visited, customers included a single mom with four young children and a young family, among others.

Location aside, in the restaurant business, seats are filled based on food quality.

At The Tallest Poppy, seats are filled because of Syrie's incredible and unwavering commitment to locally sourced ingredients and homestyle, from-scratch cooking.

The 38-seat, North Main eatery opened less than five years ago, serving breakfast and lunch and a family-style, all-you-can eat brunch that earned rave reviews from locals.

Family recipes are used for challah bread, brisket and blintzes, among other dishes. It's a family affair in other ways too. Her brotherAvi and mom Joanne also regularly pitch in, while sister Shyla was the restaurant's first baker.

In January, Syrie changed tracks, closing the restaurant from Monday to Friday to focus solely on catering. Today, weekends are reserved for breakfast and lunch. The menu includes a full complement of breakfast favourites including pancakes, eggs, thick-cut bacon, sausages and house-cut potato and sweet-potato hash browns. Lunch includes generous sandwiches, salads and house-made soups, such as coconut sweet potato and barley vegetable.

The Tallest Poppy is open for breakfast and lunch on Saturdays and Sundays.